


Pages and Scales

by pinkevilbob



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dragons, Dragon Caleb, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-10
Updated: 2019-02-12
Packaged: 2019-10-25 15:57:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17728277
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pinkevilbob/pseuds/pinkevilbob
Summary: Jester had thought that she knew a lot about dragons. They breathed fire, were very big, and ate cows. She figured that was all there was to know and all that she needed to know. When Jester snuck into the old abandoned castle the rumors said dragon made his lair, she thought she wouldn't get caught.It turned out she was wrong on all three counts.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So I was talking to sieccha and she was telling me all about this dragon au she had for Caleb and I got really excited and I had to write something for it. I've got ideas and most of the second chapter written, but we'll see what happens. I hope you enjoy this.

Jester had thought that she knew a lot about dragons. They breathed fire, were very big, and ate cows. She figured that was all there was to know and all that she needed to know. When Jester snuck into the old abandoned castle the rumors said dragon made his lair, she thought she wouldn't get caught.

It turned out she was wrong on all three counts.

The old castle wasn't as bad as Jester thought it would be. True, it was very, very old and a little smelly, but there wasn't as much dust as she expected or dragon droppings. Really, it was boring how plain it was. She was kind of hoping to see a corpse or something interesting like that. Well, maybe not a corpse, but like a champion that had been captured that Jester would have to set free and fall madly in love with. That's how all the stories went. Instead, the closest thing to even slightly interesting she found was a room full of books.

Jester picked up a book when the castle shook beneath her. It felt like she was on a bed and somebody suddenly jumped on it. A loud voice rumbled through the halls, but it echoed so much Jester couldn't understand it. Footsteps thumped loudly at first, but slowly faded softer and softer until Jester could just barely hear them. Releasing a breath she didn't realize she was holding, She closed the book, taking it with her, and left the room only to walk into someone.

"I'm sorry, I jus-" but that was all Jester was able to say before she noticed the man she ran into him. He was not an impressive height, but his thinness made him seem taller than he really was. There was a smell of mustiness to his shabby, brown coat, but behind his old scarf a shining collar like necklace with all sorts of jewels. His pale complexion made his red hair stand out, but not as much as the scales that peppered his faces like freckles. But the scales were nothing compared to the sharp talon like claws that grew out of his fingers. The man just stared at her with bright blue eyes looking just as surprised as Jester was.

"You're not Nott," he finally said in a thick Zemmnian accent. His teeth were long and pointed. "What are you doing here?"

Jester tried to think something clever something that could trick a dragon(and he was the dragon. Something in her knew that without a doubt that this was the dragon before her) into letting her go without getting hurt. Instead what came out of her mouth was, "I'm Jester. What's your name?"

The dragon paused. "Caleb Widogast. Why are you in my castle?"

"Oh, this is your castle? I was just going on my way and saw it and was all 'oh look at that architecture I just must see it up close'. But if it's your castle, I'll just be on my way," Jester said.

Caleb glared at her. "Stop lying."

Jester sighed. "Fine. So, everyone in town is all 'oh, there's a castle that's all cool and stuff, but there's a dragon that will kill you' and I was all 'I'm not afraid of dragons. I'm going to check it out'. So now I'm here."

"So now you're here." He frowned down at her. "And now what am I supposed to do with you?" Caleb rubbed the bridge of his nose avoiding the spots with scales.

"I don't know. Let me go?"

Caleb sighed a small puff of fire. "If it were only that simple. If I let you go and word gets out that yes I am a dragon, then I will never know a moment's peace again. Everyone will think that they can just come and go from here to their heart's desire."

"But if you keep me here, then people will come looking for me," JEster said. "My mom will notice if I'm missing and she can raise armies."

"Can she now? I suppose I shouldn't be surprised" Caleb paced the floor. "There needs to be a punishment."

Jester stared at him. "What?"

"A punishment for intruding. There's all sorts of stories of dragons torturing and eating people, but I don't see the point in that," Caleb said.

Jester rolled her eyes. "Well, that's a relief."

"It needs to be suited for the crime," Caleb mumbled to himself. He looked down at the book she was holding. "Stealing in addition breaking in. Tell me, can you read?"

"Yes? My mom taught me," Jester said. Caleb was seeming less and less like a fearsome dragon and more like a fussy shopkeeper.

He pointed at the book she was holding with a sharp talon. "Open it. Any page and read it out loud."

Jester slowly opened the book and turned to a random page. "'...thus eliminating the need for planting winter wheat in the late autumn. The further implications of this discovery were-' Did I grab the most boring book here?"

"Sadly, I have some that are worse, but no, that is a dry one. Come, we'll find a better one." Jester followed Caleb into the library. There were more books there than she had seen her whole life. It wasn't a very large room, but the walls were full of books. "Here, you may enjoy this one better." Caleb tapped on the spine of one of the books gently.

Jester pulled out the book. "'The Daring Trials and Tribulations of Tary Darington'." She flipped to a random page. "'The pit fiend fell to the ground with a resounding THUMP. 'Oh,' the handsome young gunslinger swooned, 'if only I could find a man half as manly as you are, Tary.'"

Jester kept reading until she got to the end of the page and look up Caleb. His eyes were closed and he had an expression that was close to bliss. It was almost peaceful. He cracked an eye open."Are you going to continue?" The dragon almost sounded hungry to continue the story.

"Oh right." She went back to reading until they finished the chapter.

"That's it. I've decided on your punishment," Caleb said. "You are going to read to me every book in my collection."

Jester's jaw dropped. "What? There's at least a hundred books here. That will take me forever." She knew it was a light punishment compared to the many things he could do to her and that she shouldn't argue with him, but it still felt unfair.

"Then you will be here forever," Caleb said.

"Can't you just read them yourself?"

Caleb looked down at his hands. "These are meant for tearing things apart. Not holding fine literature. And even if I could my eyesight's not meant for books either, unfortunately." He stared wistfully at his books. And for the first time Jester felt sorry for a dragon.

She let out a long sigh. "Fine. But the second I'm done, I'm leaving."

"I wouldn't want you to stay a second longer."

They shook on it with Caleb careful not to scratch Jester with his claws. He let go as soon as the deal was sealed. "Now, start from the beginning. You have to read how he meets the unlikely heroes." 

Jester could already see herself getting sick of reading, but she put on a smile and began at the beginning. It was going to be long and hard, she knew, and this imprisonment was going to be heartbreaking, but Jester was not going to let this dragon see her cry.


	2. Chapter 2

Jester read for four hours straight before her voice cracked and she asked for a break. Up until then, it was glorious. Nott would occasionally stop by and read a chapter or two to Caleb, but she had her family to focus on and her visits were only once or twice a week. But Jester was there to stay. That was until she finished the library, but that was all he needed. Just one read through of the entire library and at the rate she read at, if they limited distractions, they would be finished in nine months.

"Do you have anything to eat here?" Jester asked. 

Caleb frowned at the question. Food was a distraction, but a necessary one unfortunately. "I have a store room, yes. I'll show you the way."

"Is it full of cow heads? Do you eat cow heads? Will I have to eat cow heads here?" Jester asked rapidly as she followed after him. 

"No, sometimes, and only if you want to," Caleb said. "There's mainly just salted pork, some hard cheese and dried fruits."

Jester sighed. "That's boring."

"It's for when I can't hunt." Really, Caleb only need the salted pork, but having the cheese and fruit on hand made him feel more human.

"Dragons hunt?" A strange expression crossed Jester's face.

Caleb paid it no mind. "It's hardly like I can just go into the market weekly and get what I need. So I hunt. Same as wolves do."

"Don't you just take cows?" Jester asked.

"Have you heard any reports of missing cows?" Caleb asked. Jester shook her head. "If I just take cows, that would be stealing and get me killed. I have several hunting grounds spread out I rotate through. Down here." He led her down the stairs into the store room. There were several barrels of pork, three sizable wheels of cheese, jars of dried and pickled fruit, and a cask of ale. 

Jester picked up one of the jars and looked at it. "Are all dragons this boring? Or just you?"

Caleb rolled his eyes and ignored her. He kept a few wooden plates in there just in case, so he just grabbed two of those and loaded them both with meat and cheese. 

"Do dragons have to eat a lot?"

Caleb shrugged. "Just two deer a week. Why?" Jester gestured at the plates. Each held a pile of food bigger than her head. "Ah, it's been a while since I've had anyone here for dinner." Nott tended to eat at home with her family or brought her own food. He put most of the food back and presented Jester what he assumed was a reasonable serving.

"Thank you," Jester said. "But you don't have to go hungry for me."

"Dragons only need to eat once a week. This is just a snack," Caleb said. If he ate when Jester did, then he could probably wait to go hunting and spend more time with her reading.

They returned to the library Jester bringing along the jar of fruit. Caleb really didn't have anywhere else suitable for guests in the castle and he certainly wasn't taking her to his room. That was private. 

Caleb scarfed down the meat and cheese quickly and then open the jar of pickled pears. Those had always been a favorite of his. He took a bite to slowly savor the taste and found himself gagging on it. Jester jumped up. “Are you okay?”

He spat out the offending fruit. Another food he could no longer eat. “I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.”

“Okay,” Jester said slowly. She went back to eating her meal and started to cough. "Sorry, it's a little dry."

"Oh, I'll get you something to drink." Caleb started to hurry out, but he paused at the door. "Don't leave. I can find you if you do."

"Fine," Jester groaned. "I wasn't trying to trick you."

"Good. Just don't leave." Caleb went down to the cistern underneath the castle and filled up two jugs with clean water. He would need to show her where this was eventually, but there was no sense in sharing all of the castle's secrets at once. 

When Caleb returned to the library, he found Jester looking at one of the shelves. "Caleb, can I ask you a question?" 

"You may," Caleb said as he set down the jugs.

"Where do you keep the smut?" Jester asked sweetly.

Caleb sputtered and nearly choked on nothing. "What?"

"The smut. You must have some porn or something here. Or do dragons not like sex?" Jester leaned in towards him her eyes bright with curiosity. 

"I, that's, I-" Despite his best efforts, Caleb couldn't get a full sentence out of his mouth.

Jester gently patted his hand. "It's okay Caleb. Not everybody likes sex. I'm sure you have books that are interesting even if they don't have sex."

Caleb could feel his face turning as red as his scales. "It's not that. It's just ... hidden in my room. I didn't want Nott finding it."

"Let's go get it then!" Jester clapped her hands excitedly and went to the door, but Caleb blocked it. 

"Let's not," Caleb said.

Jester pouted at him. "Don't be a spoilsport. This will be fun!"

"No!" Caleb yelled out more forcefully then he meant to. Fire escaped past his lips. Jester's eyes were wide with fear and she pressed her back against the wall. "Sorry. I shouldn't have." He stepped back giving her plenty of space. "Let's just go back to reading."

Jester stared at him silently before she peeled herself off of the wall. "Okay."

Jester read, with occasional pauses to eat more of her meal, until she could barely hold her head up. Caleb was tempted to ask her to keep going, but she was also mixing up the words and there was no point in going on. "That's enough for today," he said the third time Jester jolted up. "You can sleep here."

"But there's no bed here," Jester said.

"You can use the couch. It should be suitable," Caleb said. On the rare occasions that Nott stayed the night, she would share Caleb's bed, but that was not an option for Jester.

Jester pouted at him, but it was interrupted by a yawn.

"I'll fetch you some blankets." Caleb had no need of them so early in the fall anyways. Jester just nodded sleepily as he left to get them. 

By the time he returned, she was already asleep on the couch. Shaking his head, Caleb covered Jester with the blankets. She seemed so peaceful when she was asleep. With all the breaks she needed, it would take eleven months to go through the library, but it was going to be worth it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Another chapter! Woop! Inspired by sieccha and beta'd by tfwfangirlsatk! Hurray!


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